Sunday, May 5, 2013

underreported struggles 73

underreported struggles 73
The USDA Cibola National Forest Service (CNFS) issued a controversial Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) to Roca Honda Resources (RHR), for a proposed uranium mine on
Mount Taylor, a stratovolcano in northwest New Mexico. The DEIS openly
states that uranium mining at Mt. Taylor–which is held sacred by several
Southwest Nations including Dine’, Hopi, Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni–
“…would result in the disruption, alteration, and displacement of
traditional cultural activities that are critical to the continuity of
cultural beliefs and practices of these tribes."

Esquimalt First Nation, in an effort to reform the monetary system, unveiled a new barter currency on their territory known as Tetlas. Similar to a gift certificate, the Tetla was developed by the organization Tetla Tsetsuwatil
to assist economic development in the S’amuna’ Nation and other native
nations, and to encourage trade with non-natives and among non-natives.
So far, 35 businesses have signed on to the Tetla system, but wit the
constant problems first Nations have with the Canadian economy, you can
be sure there will be more.

The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights
issued provisional measures to ensure that the Ogiek people of the Mau
forest cannot be evicted by the Kenyan government, while the matter
continues before the court. The Ogiek case is the first indigenous rights case to come before the court
since it began in 2006 and sets a strong precedent against the eviction
of Indigenous Peoples from their lands across continental Africa.

The O’odham Nation is taking action to officially oppose Kinder Morgan’s proposed Sierrita Pipeline,
a project that could harm up to 60 “sacred and significant” cultural
resource sites, village sites, trash mounds and quarries, according to a
resolution approved by the Tohono O’odham Legislative Council. The
pipeline would also harm Baboquivari Peak, an area central to the
O’odham Peoples creation story.

An anti-indian conference was held at the Lakeway Inn in Bellingham, WA about ten miles from the Lummi Nation. The April 6th event,
which went by almost completely unnoticed, was dedicated to teaching
people how to fight casino gambling, water rights, fee to trust, land
acquisitions and sovereignty. The event was sponsored by Citizens Equal Rights Alliance
or CERA, one of the most prominent Anti-Indian organizations in the
United States. Three additional conferences are now being organized by
CERA in Massachusetts, New York and Northern California as part of a new national offensive to end tribal sovereignty.

In northern Chile, Environmental groups and indigenous Diaguita communities celebrated a court decision to suspend the controversial Pascua Lama mine owned by the world’s largest gold mining company, Barrick gold.
The court suspension was in response to a legal action that was brought
forth by the affected indigenous communities who warned that the mine
threatens their water supply and several local glaciers. Lorenzo Soto, a
lawyer representing the Diaguita, said the suspension will remain in
effect until the company addresses the pollution issue and properly
consults the indigenous peoples.

Peguis First Nation along with Fisher River First Nation and several local cottagers blocked a road leading to the Berger Peat Mine
in the interlake region of Northern Manitoba, Canada. The action was in
response to the Manitoba government’s decision to uphold a license to Berger Peat Moss Ltd. and Sun Gro Horticulture Canada Ltd.
despite a failure to adequately consult the first Nations about the
many impacts that peat mining would have on their culture and Treaty
Rights. Immediately after the government’s decision, Berger began to
clear the forests and build roads in the project area; however,
according to Peguis First Nation, the company did so despite key
provisions in its license which stipulate that no land clearances or
road construction can take place until a required plant study and
inventory, including for medicinal plants, has been carried out.